FILE - In this photo provided by the Oregon State Police taken Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter searches a beach about two miles north of Cape Blanco, Oregon.
Oregon State Police / AP
It’s been years since the Coast Guard has staffed stations in Bandon and Gold Beach. But after a boat capsized in August, killing two people, Oregon lawmakers want that to change.
U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle, Sen. Jeff Merkley and Sen. Ron Wyden have requested the Coast Guard assess the need for search and rescue teams along the southern Oregon Coast.
A letter by the lawmakers notes private boat captains are increasingly offering rescue support once handled by the Coast Guard.
“What we don’t see is how often there have been accidents and other fishing or recreational boats have had to come in and save the people,” Hoyle said. “We’ve had some very near misses.”
Coast Guard crews stationed in Brookings and North Bend responded to last summer’s tragedy. But Hoyle said that minutes matter in the cold and dangerous Pacific waters.
She said the Coast Guard removed seasonal staffing in Bandon and Gold Beach without public or congressional notice or an opportunity for public comment. Since then, traffic and emergencies in the area have increased, according to the lawmakers’ statement. Around 23,000 boats pass through the area each year.
Curry County Commissioner Patrick Hollinger also sent a letter in September to Admiral Kevin Lunday asking for the return of staffing at the Gold Beach station.
“If the U.S. Coast Guard had been stationed here in Gold Beach, like they were in the recent past, all three men could have been rescued,” Hollinger said in a statement. He said the community has been left exposed after service members left the station around six years ago.
Hoyle said staffing was cut in Gold Beach and Bandon due to a personnel shortage. But with recruiting numbers improving, she hopes Coast Guard crews can return to seasonal work in the area.
She said the Coast Guard commandant is expected to visit the region later this month.
The Coast Guard recently returned a helicopter to Newport after a lawsuit challenged its removal.
Justin Higginbottom is a reporter with JPR. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page.
